


faithlessness

by idcishipit



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Angst, M/M, Past Relationship(s), Post-Break Up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:53:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28065030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idcishipit/pseuds/idcishipit
Summary: “Why did you leave? What did I do?”
Relationships: Nico di Angelo/Will Solace, past Nico di Angelo/Will Solace - Relationship
Comments: 9
Kudos: 46





	faithlessness

It’s silent when he steps from the shadows. 

A warm breeze stirs up some leaves but otherwise camp is quiet despite the lights from cabins six and nine. He thinks of the previous occupants and isn’t surprised at all. 

He supposes he could have landed closer to the Big House. It would have been easier, but he’s long used to inconvenience. 

Some harpies give him dirty looks as he walks. He’s no longer a camper so they can’t eat him. _Ha._

When he was younger, the constant slap of his sword at his hip drove him crazy. How was he supposed to concentrate with that? 

Now it’s his greatest source of comfort. 

He misses when it wasn’t. 

The infirmary door squawks under his touch. It hadn’t mattered how many times they greased it; it never changed. He had argued Chiron made it that way but all he received was a muffled laugh and a lecture. 

But like for so many years it announces his presence despite his wishes it didn’t. Only a desk light is on, the rest of the infirmary is dark, and he can only sense one other person. 

Nico shoves his hands in his pockets and plays with a coin as the other soul comes closer from the new inventory room. It’s bright and strong and heavy and it’s _so familiar_ it makes Nico’s chest hurt. 

“What’s happened?”

His hair is short. That’s what he notices. More of a professional cut than Nico’s been remembering, no longer the tangled mess his fingers used to get caught in. 

Will freezes in the doorway. His face twists for a moment and then it grows cold like a door slammed in Nico’s face. 

“Nico. Can I help you?”

And his voice is so, so cold. Nico would think it was a voice for a stranger, but Will never gave anything but warmth, even when angry he was a flame. He didn’t know how to be cold. 

The coin digs into his hand, it’s probably cutting into his skin, but he can’t feel that much. Will’s eyes nail him to the floor, and he stays silent. 

He’s thrown out a hundred speeches because nothing was right, and Will deserved something right. He deserves a lot of things. 

“I’m sorry I left.”

Will’s never laughed at him before. It makes Nico’s eyes burn. 

“You’re sorry?” Will laughs again, and Nico thinks maybe he’s crying too. “You’ve been gone two years and now you’re sorry?”

“I’ve always been sorry, Will.”

He scoffs and throws a box of mortal medicine on a bed. It bounces onto the floor, but Will doesn’t notice. “I thought you were _dead_. I thought you were _kidnapped_ by the gods or monsters. But no. Jason told me he met you and I realized you _left_.”

Will let’s out a watery laugh. “I asked you to marry me and you left.”

Nico folds his arms close to his chest. The floor is so much easier to face. “I know.” Because what else is he supposed to say?

It’s quiet but not quite like outside. It’s quiet and Nico wants to weep. 

“Why are you here Nico?” 

He hugs himself tighter. He doesn’t know. He burned those speeches because he didn’t know the end. 

“Why did you leave? What did I do?”

Nico’s head snaps up. Will looks tired. Like his strings have been cut. All his anger is sapped and it’s Nico’s fault again. 

“You didn’t do anything. I didn’t de-”

“Nico, I swear to the gods if you say I didn’t deserve you I’m going to throw you into Tartarus myself.”

The infirmary falls silent. 

“Will,” Nico says tightly, “I _didn’t_ deserve you. I think what I did proves it.”

“Don’t you dare say I didn’t deserve you,” Will snaps. “I wanted you, but you didn’t care. It’s always about deserving with you. I wasn’t going to wake up one day and leave, Nico. I told you a thousand times I wasn’t, but you didn’t trust me. You leave before you get left, that’s it isn’t? It is.”

Nico’s voice cracks, “You know I cared. Don’t say I didn’t.”

“You broke my heart.”

A part of Nico breaks at the confirmation. He knew but he was hoping he was wrong. He was always did wrong with the right things. 

“Does it help any that I broke mine too?”

He had left Will waiting in the park. As soon as he stepped out on the other side of the shadow, he wanted to go back.

Because for two years he imagined wearing another ring that matched Will’s, loving Will and knowing he had him in all of his forevers and remaining firsts and lasts. Stealing food off his plate and listening to his heart beat in the middle of the night. 

“No,” Will says. “Not really.” 

An eon could have passed in the silence between them. Apollo’s chariot could have crossed above them a million times because between them there was never a silence like this. 

Will breaks it. Like the thunder in the center of the storm. “I thought we were good.”

And his voice is so small that Nico can’t help it. It’s stupid but he can’t stop. He holds Will’s hand and Will let’s him. 

“We were _so_ good. _So_ good, Will.”

Will meets his eyes and they’re red and they must be burning as much as Nico’s. “Then why did you leave?”

“I love you. I had to leave before you left.”

“I wouldn’t have.”

“I know.” 

“I hate you.”

“I know.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


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